Tuesday, April 21st, 2020
Trump Banning Immigration, Oil’s Historic Low & “How Can I Help?”
All the news you need in less than 10 min:
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Story Summaries
All the news stories mentioned in today's episode are listed with links below, so you can spend as much -- or as little -- time as you want perusing the latest happenings...
Trump Orders Immigration Ban
President Trump says he’ll temporarily suspend all immigration into the United States. He tweeted his plan last night, saying he’ll sign an executive order to make it happen. Trump claimed it’s in response to “the invisible enemy.” Of course, he’s talking about the new coronavirus. This order reportedly won’t address any immigrants already living in the U.S. At this point, it’s not clear when, or how, his order would be carried out. It’s likely to face legal challenges.
Bans on even short trips between North American countries will be extended at least one more month. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico will only allow essential travel across shared borders.
Trump Suspending Immigration: Twitter, Politico, WSJ
Border Restrictions Extended: NPR, The Hill
Case Count: Johns Hopkins
States Reopening & Testing Issues
A few states in the South started rolling out aggressive reopening plans, despite some concerns it might be too soon. South Carolina allowed retail stores to reopen yesterday. Gyms, salons and tattoo studios can reopen this Friday in Georgia. In Tennessee, some businesses could reopen in just six days. That said, people in all states will still be encouraged to follow social distancing guidelines and/or wear face masks.
Other states are waiting for more testing before easing restrictions. So far this week, governors from Maryland, Kansas, Ohio, Montana, Pennsylvania, and New York have all talked about a lack of testing supplies and asked the Trump administration for help. The nation’s top infectious disease expert agreed with governors that supply chain issues need to be fixed. Dr. Anthony Fauci also said the country needs to double the number of people now being tested.
Southern States Start Reopening: NY Times, CNN
More Testing Conflict: AP, LA Times, Twitter, YouTube
Higher Infection Rate Possible
Some states are using blood tests to figure out who has developed antibodies that fight the virus. Antibody tests aren’t meant for diagnosis, but they can give doctors and researchers clues about the overall infection rate. USC researchers found a lot more people may be infected in LA County (as much as 55% higher than what the current case count shows). A separate Stanford study produced similar results for parts of northern California last week. However, neither has been peer-reviewed yet, and there are some concerns about the accuracy of blood tests in general. Next, New York will begin rolling out antibody tests this week.
California Studies Using Blood Tests: LA Times, CNBC, CNN
New York Begins Antibody Testing: NBC New York, Politico, NY Gov
Ohio Prison HotSpot
A state prison in Ohio is now the largest hot spot of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. State officials say three-quarters of the population at the Marion Correctional Institution have tested positive for the new coronavirus. Because of the pandemic, Ohios’ governor has already recommended early release for about 300 prisoners. Some say, he needs to do that for thousands more.
Read More: NPR, NY Times
Oil Prices Crash
For the first time in history, the U.S. price for crude oil traded negative, nearly 40 dollars below zero. That means the oil isn’t even worth what it takes to own it. Of course, the demand for oil is down because fewer people are driving. Also, planes and factories are out of service. Now, the concern is U.S. storage tanks don’t have room to hold all the unused oil. There’s also concern sellers may have to pay buyers just to get oil off their hands.
Read More: CNBC, Business Insider, FOX Business
Top Google Searches
The most popular Google searches from April 5-April 11 had to do with the pandemic. The Washington Post compiled a list. It found popular ones included “how to make a mask” or “how to file for unemployment.” During the same dates in 2019, the most popular searches included “how to tie a tie,” or “how to lose weight.” Still, it seems Americans’ compassion is as high as ever. The search “how can I help?” spiked in late March and early April this year.
Read More: Washington Post, Google Trends
Rise in Poisonings
The CDC is reporting an increase in accidental poisonings from cleaners and disinfectants. The number of calls to poison control jumped 20% in the first three months of the year compared to the same time last year. The calls were about people of all ages, but mostly among children under the age of five. To avoid a mishap, the CDC recommends following directions, avoiding mixing cleaning products with one another, and storing chemicals out of children’s reach.
Read More: The Hill, CNBC, CDC
New Uber Delivery Service
Uber is launching a new delivery service that lets you send packages to friends and family. It’s called Uber Connect. Drivers just pick up items and drop them off at whatever addresses you give them. The deliveries are same-day and no-contact. For now, the service is only available in select cities.
Read More: VentureBeat, Gizmodo, Press Release
Facebook Gaming
Facebook has released a new mobile app that might end up competing with Amazon’s Twitch and Google’s YouTube. It’s called “Facebook Gaming” and it’s dedicated to live-streaming video games. Unlike the app’s streaming competitors, this one will focus on the mobile experience. The app is free to download, but for now, it’s only available on Android phones.
Read More: Mashable, Engadget, NYT
New Movie Releases
The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, will be delayed four months. Instead of premiering June of 2021, it will come out in October 2021. Other action movies, like Wonder Woman 1984 and Tenet are still set to debut for this summer.
Read More: AP, FOX News
Jordan Doc Massive Ratings
ESPN’s new documentary series about NBA legend Michael Jordan is proving to be a huge hit. It’s called “The Last Dance.” The first two episodes premiered Sunday night to an audience of more than six-million people. The ten-episode series is about Jordan’s quest to win his sixth NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan will reportedly donate his share of the proceeds to charity.
Read More: Variety, Forbes, Hollywood Reporter, Press Release
Talk to Me Tuesday: Reduced Lung Capacity?
Q: Is it true that young people who have recovered from COVID-19 have a 50% reduced lung capacity?
A: According to the American Association for Respiratory Care, it’s too soon to know. That said, there is preliminary data out of Hong Kong that shows a 20-30% decrease in lung capacity in some people who have recovered. However, doctors suggest patients might be able to reverse that damage with cardio exercise. Also, it depends on whether the COVID-19 caused any other complications.
Read More: Johns Hopkins Medicine, Business Insider / South China Morning Post, AARC.org